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TIL the painting Las Meninas is one of the most analyzed works in western art. Critics have called it the “theology of painting” and “true philosophy of art”. It’s influenced many artists including Goya and Sargent. Picasso was so obsessed with the painting he executed 58 different interpretations.

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8aDgV TIL that during the early 1900s, a debate raged about whether or not it was acceptable to portray wild animals with human-like thoughts and emotions in nature writing. President Teddy Roosevelt got involved, harshly criticizing writers who anthropomorphized wildlife—and dubbing them "nature fakers".
R54jQ TIL that when Hamlet talks about knowing “a hawk from a handsaw,” he wasn’t referring to the tool but a bird (handsaw was originally “heronshaw,” an old form of “heron.”)
m1RXY TIL that due to road signs bearing '420' being stolen, the Colorado Department of Transportation replaced the Mile Marker 420 sign on I-70 east of Denver with one reading 419.99. "69" mile marker signs were also frequently stolen - these were replaced with "68.5 mile" ones.
jN6QQ TIL The League of Women Voters used to run presidential debates that gave every nominee a equal amount of time to speak, Republicans and Democrats joined together to make the Commission for Presidential Debates, making it harder for third parties to be fairly represented
pYomp TIL about The Attica Prison Riot, which took place at the state prison in Attica, New York; it started on September 9, 1971, and ended on September 13 with the highest number of fatalities in the history of United States prison uprisings.